Combined heel-plate and shank-brace.



W. A. BUCHANAN.

COMBINED HEEL PLATE AND SHANK BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l2, I917.

, Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

STATES PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM A. BUCHANAN, OF 'ASHEVILLE, NORTH comamnn HEEL-IPLATE AND slim-men.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BU- CIIANAN, a citizen of theUuited States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombo and State of North Carolina, have mvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Heel-Plates and Shank-Braces, of which the following is a spec1ficat1on.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for shoes, the primary object of my invention being the provision of an improved combination heel plate and shank brace for use particularly in ladies shoes having high French heels.

Heretofore considerable trouble has been caused due to the heels pulling away from the heel seats when in use, serious accidents sometimes occurring as the result, and one of the primary ob 'ects of my present invention consists in constructing a device which may be applied to the shoe during its manufacture or to shoes already made and which will hold the heels and shanks of the shoes in proper shape and which will secure the heel so that it cannot come 03.

In this connection a still further object which I have in view isthe provision of a. metallic heel plate and shank brace which may be inserted between the inner and outer soles of the shoe and through which screws may be passed into the top of the heel to securely ock the heel in place. I,

, With these and other objects in view,"my invention will be more fully described,-illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claim which forms a part of this application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is'an elevation, partially in sectilon of a shoe showing my invention app 18d Fig 2 is a perspective view of the heel plate and shank brace.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fi 2' Corresponding and Iikdparts are referred Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 2'7, 1918. Application filed September 12.1917. Serial in. 191,014.

and size of the heel seat of'the shoe with which it is to be employed. This body is slightly concavo-convex to conform to the shape of the heel seat and at its front is rovided with a projecting tongue 11 which forms a shank brace and which curves downwardly to correspond to the curvature of the shank of the shoe. This tongue is arched transversely throughout practically its en tire length and at its free end is widened laterally to provide an attaching head 12. This attaching head 12 is formed with openings '13 through which suitable fastening devices. such as tacks orthe like may be passed and the heel plate 10 is formed with similar openings 14 to receive screws, as will be later explained. As best shown in Fig. 2 the free rights andlefts and the attaching head 12 is shaped to properly fit in the central portion of the sole of the shoe immediately at the rear of the ball of the foot.

In order to insure a proper understanding of my invention and its use I have'illus trated it in Fig. 1 in connection with a conventional shoe 15 having the outer sole 16, inner sole 17 sole lining 1'8 and heel 19. As there shown the combined heel plate and shank brace is disposed between the inner and outer soles of the shoe and screws 20 are passed through the openings 14 and into the eel 19 to firmly secure the heel in place. Obviously with this arrangement there will be no tilting of the heel 19 relative to the shank portion of the shoe and it will be practically impossible for the heel to pull loose. The combined plate and brace not only braces the shoe and helps kee the shapeof the shoe but also serves as a llrace for the foot of the wearer. By arching the tongue 11 transversely added strength. for the metal employed, is obtained and the leather of the outer sole will be molded into this arched portion during the manufacture scli that the tongue will be held firmly in p ace.-

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and efiicient form of heel retaining plate and shank brace and one which may be econoniically manufactured and readily applied, either durin manufacture of the shoe or afterward as esired.

- Havin thus described the invention, what is claime as new is:

The combination witha shoe including inner and outer soles and a heel, ofa combined heel'plate and shank brace interposed between the inner and outer soles ef-the shoe and comprising 'a body portion of resilient metal conforming in sha e to the shape of the heel seat and slight y concavo-convex, a relatively narrow integral tongueprojectand formin caved face directed downwardly and the ing from the forward edge'of 'theheel plate 7 a' shank brace, vthe tongue -be-' ing longitu inally curved tO'COIlfOI'III to the "curvature of the shank of the shoe, and fas- 9 tening devices passed throu h the heel plate, 1' outer sole and into the bee the tongue being transversely arched throughout the greater portion of its length with its con-- izo outer sole being molded to fill in the eon- H cavity thus formed.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my-si gnature, 28

" WILLIAM'A.,BUCHANAN. 

